A perspective on the vitriol
Polipundit
We've had many discussions lately about the stunning degree of partisan-liberal bias emanating from the national media. And, of course, we've had the unfortunate pleasure of seeing with our own eyes the sad level of vitriol spewing forth from angry liberals, whether it be about politics, economics, history, or culture.
The question arises, however: why? Why all this hatred on the left?
There's an easy answer, really. It's simple math.
In 1992, a Democrat won the White House for the first time since 1976. At that point, the Democratic Party controlled 30 Governor's chairs, to 18 for the GOP. The Democrats won 59 percent of the total state legislative seats available that year. They controlled both chambers of the Legislatures in 25 states, compared to just 8 for the GOP. In Congress, of course, they had large majorities both in the House and in the Senate.
What's happened since then? Well, frankly, total political realignment.
Today, the GOP controls 28 Governor's chairs. Republicans rule the State House in California (and have done so for 16 of the past 23 years); New York (since 1994); Florida (since 1998); and Texas (since 1994). Today, the GOP controls the Legislatures of 21 states, to 16 for the Democrats (a net change of 22 states(!) from the political landscape that existed in 1992). Last election cycle, the GOP won an absolute majority of the available state legislative seats; the first time that's happened since 1952.
In Congress, the Democrats have been reduced to a trivial minority in the House. In the Senate, the GOP has had majorities in 9 of the past 10 years.
Looking to the top of the political ticket, it has been 28 years since a Democratic nominee for President has won even 50 percent of the total vote. On the other hand, GOP nominees have accomplished that feat on three separate occasions in the intervening period.
In sum, we are witnessing the death of the Democratic Party. They have been in steep decline for almost two full generations. At this point, they are facing the end game. And, deep down, they know it. That is why there's so much anger, so much hostility, and so much gamesmanship, on that side of the aisle.
Liberalism? Well, liberalism was dealt its Stalingrad-style defeat back in 1994, when the GOP picked up 52 U.S. House seats and 12 U.S. Senate seats (yeah, you read that right!) in a single evening, in response, of course, to the ill-fated attempts by the Clinton Administration to govern from the left. Frankly, liberals never were anything more than a political side show in this country. They were able to glom onto political power only by aligning themselves with Southern, conservative Democrats. After Novemember 1994, however, that one trick pony broke its leg and got put to sleep. The far left now is like Bruce Willis in the Sixth Sense. They don't even know that they're already politically dead.
It's high time, in my view, that we stop being so diplomatic about our friends on the left and start calling their vitriolic politics for what it is: fatuous spitework! Nothing more, nothing less.
So long, Democrats. I'll light a candle for you.
P.S. - A synopsis of much of the underlying raw data from above can be found in this article, previously published in the Weekly Standard. The remainder is easily obtainable in the public domain, through Google.
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